Best holiday destinations for foodies

Thailand

Bangkok’s Khao San Road is a recipe for foodie heaven. The sizzle of full-to-the-brim woks fill the air, and there’s a real pick ‘n’ mix of street food on offer. Spice up your day with a chilli-infused curry, twirl your fork through freshly strung noodles, or be brave and crunch on one of Thailand’s specialities – roasted cricket skewers. If you’re after a more laidback setting, head to Khao Lak. Pitch up on its tropical shores and spot fishing boats vying for the catch of the day before trying it for yourself. You can’t leave without tasting Pla Pao, either. The net-fresh fish is roasted over hot coals, stuffed with crushed lemongrass stalks and served up with sweet and sour chilli sauce. Want the ultimate souvenir? Brush up on your skills with a cooking class and take home your new culinary prowess. Pick up ingredients from the local market before you're joined by some top chefs, who’ll show you how to rustle up a trio of Thai specialities. 

Eat at: Smile in Koh Lak

Taste: Tom Yum soup

Drink: Chang beer

Get ingredients from: Bangkok’s floating market

Find out more about our holidays to Thailand

Turkey

Some travel to Turkey for the spice-laden bazaars and ancient temples. Others travel there for the durums, a traditional Turkish dish – and we’re not judging. These tasty flatbreads are filled with spiced meat, cooked on a spit, topped off with fresh salad, yoghurt and hot sauce.  Another favourite is Dolma. This meal of vine leaves stuffed with courgettes and aubergines is best sampled in the sleepy village of Gumbet. Or, head over to Bodrum’s secluded coves, dine in the floating fish restaurants docked to the shore and spot Octopuses hanging out to dry like washing. Grilled or marinated, they’re the perfect aperitif, so don’t miss out. We’d also recommend Balik Ekmek, a fish sandwich best enjoyed with the sea in sight.

Eat at: Kondya Ugurlu in Gumbet (try the balloon bread)

Taste: Meze platters

Drink: Turkish coffee, served with Turkish delight

Get ingredients from: Bodrum’s food market every Thursday

Find out more about our holidays to Turkey

Mexico

Puerto Vallarta boasts one of Mexico’s best dining scenes – and we don’t make those kinds of claims lightly. Street corners are propped up with stalls selling enchiladas packed with fresh fish, and mountains of tacos. Delve a little further and you’ll discover local dishes that have managed to remain a secret to the rest of the world. Start your day with Chilaquiles, a traditional breakfast of lightly fried corn tortillas cut into quarters and topped with spicy salsa, fried egg, pulled chicken, and a healthy scoop of refried beans. For lunch, nibble on tamales, snacks first developed by Aztec, Mayan and Inca tribes. The pockets of dough are stuffed with sweet and savoury fillings, and can include everything from meat and cheese to fruits and chillies. Then, they're wrapped in banana leaves before being steamed. 

Eat at: Mariscos El Coleguita

Taste: Elote – corn on the cob with a helping of salt, chilli and sour cream

Drink: Paloma cocktails 

Get ingredients from: Old Town Farmers market in Puerto Vallarta

Find out more about our holidays to Mexico

Italy

Contrary to popular belief, Italy isn’t just about pasta and pizza. Taste your way around the boot-shaped country, and you’ll find that every town and city boasts its own regional specialities. You’ve got delectable white truffles and wine in Tuscany, fresh farm-to-table cuisine in Puglia, and over 350 varieties of pasta to try across the whole country. For Italian cuisine with a twist, pick Sicily for your foodie holiday. Here you can feast on seafood spaghetti, veggie pizza and arancini – breadcrumb-coated rice balls mixed with Ragu and cheese. The island boasts the best desserts, too. Head to Laboratorio Pasticceria Roberto in Taormina to taste Sicily’s famous sweet snack – cannoli. Gino D’Acampo once visited this iconic bakery and loved it so much, he got stuck into making some of the ricotta-filled pastries himself.

Eat at: Ristorante ‘O Parrucchiano in Sorrento where cannelloni was invented

Taste: Cannoli at Laboratorio Pasticceria Roberto

Drink: Aperol Spritz, of course

Get ingredients from: The Ballarò Market in Palermo

Find out more about our holidays to Italy

Hungry for a holiday?

Find out about what the food's like in Jamaica and Spain.

Author: Lucy Perrin

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